Apples and Oranges
by Singkatsu
Summary: How do two childhood friends deal with a Romeo and Juliet style rivalry between their families? How does a group of friends deal with the affection that seems to be growing amongst two of their own? Van, Angie and the other kids of Waffle Town will just have to find the answers to these questions, and their place in the grown-up world, their own way. Kid style. Angie/Van
1. A Day in the Life

_A/N: Ah, and back to the world of multi-chapters I am~ This one can kind of be taken as a sequel to my other story "Influence (Influent)", though granted only loosely. Some of the themes that this story will address pick up from that fic, but it isn't necessary to read it in order to understand them. Anyways, I was inspired for this little thing by the curiosity that was Van and Angie at Brownie Ranch. None of the other children in ToT hang out together, so I immediately assumed that these two must be an item because they did. Thus, the idea for this fanfic was born. It's my second attempt at handling the people of Waffle Town, so I hope their characterization doesn't disappoint! Otherwise, enjoy the first chapter of this series and hold its fluffiness close, you'll be missing the idyllic nature of it very soon. _

"Van, you should have a fruit with that."

His small nose peeked over the book he was reading. With toast in one hand and text in the other, the boy looked up at his mother, with her quick glance at his food of choice making him quickly place the offending bread back on the table.

"It isn't healthy to only _just_ have that in the morning. You know that."

"Yes mother," his hand quickly went out to grab the orange she'd put on the table.

The room was as immaculate as ever, its expanse clean to the point of sterility. Van knew that his father preferred it this way, as the home environment mirrored the workplace, but on this morning the boy took no comfort in the reminder. For whatever reason, the light that reflected off the polished counters, and the cleanliness, made him feel cold and detached.

"Anissa, don't smother him," his father's curt voice floated from his desk in the other room. "He should learn to deal with the consequences. If he ends up ill, he should be smart enough to put two and two together."

His mother huffed, moving back to her spot on the other side of the table, straightening a crooked place mat as she went. "He's only a child Jin; he needs a role-model. We're his parents we can't just ignore these thi-"

Now was the time to opt out of the world around him it seemed. With Anissa in full nagging mode, he buried himself back in his book and sat back in his chair, fruit sitting in hand. He'd eat it later if need be, but Professor Gill didn't permit snacks in class and Van's sticky fingers wouldn't be appreciated.

Flicking to the next page, the young boy focused intently on the writing to avoid the escalating volume of his parents petty bickering. He rotated the orange ball slightly.

Maybe he could share the treat with Angie later.

* * *

Sewing materials were strewn across nearly every surface of their home, with thread and designs waiting patiently to be taken up again amidst the fray. Books on fashion were stacked to either side of Angie as she sat down for breakfast, though she paid them no mind as she dug into her sandwich with a smile.

"Hey Angie, did you see the new designs that Daddy made for this fashion magazine?"

Her father stood beside her, eyes bright and eager. The early morning didn't cut into his energy at all. He was nearly jumping in place, he was that excited.

'No…Mommy said that you'd show me," she responded with a soft voice, a strong smile breaking through to show her delight. "…are they some of your best Daddy?"

Julius nearly squealed. "Of course!" Her father grabbed his seat, quickly placing it beside her and she eagerly pushed back her breakfast plate so he could spread the magazine. The room was just light enough to see the glossy pages, the morning light filtering in lazily through their thick curtains. He placed a dainty finger on the page closest to her.

"It's for the _Alice in Fashion Land_ fall collection Angel. The CEO of that company really likes a spiffy and sharp look, so I worked really hard on trying to make that come across in some of the colors and designs," he spread his hands over the different men's and women's clothing, pointing to individual details which he thought were interesting. "What do you think sweetie?"

"…They're so pretty…" she said, her voice filled with awe. The black piping of the grey jacket and the bold, white _A_ on its buttons popped out at her. She looked at the man beside her, eyes still wide after taking everything in. "Will you teach me how to make them?"

His expression softened and he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Of course Angel. They'll be a little difficult, even at your level, but I'm sure with enough practice you'll be making them even better than I am!"

Her smile grew widely at that and her eyes sparkled. She quickly wrapped her arms around her father's neck, leaning her smaller body into his much larger one as she giggled in delight.

"Oh? Did I miss something important?" Two different sets of purple hair swiveled to the source of the new voice. Two separate smiles formed at the sight of Candace, fully dressed and ready for the day, and quickly, different looks of happiness took over the father and daughter's features.

"Is it time to go to school?"

"…not yet, but we should probably leave soon," her mother moved over to kiss Angie on the crown of her head. "Finish your breakfast first." The older woman's blue eyes drifted to the magazine placed in front of her daughter. The little girl could see how impressed Candace was with her husband's designs, as she let blue orbs roam over the clothes that adorned the models on the page. "So your Daddy showed you what he's been working on?"

Angie nodded and offered another smile to her mother. She took Candace's hand in hers, gently pulling her mother between her father and herself.

"Isn't it pretty?"

A loving look entered Candace's eyes as she traced one of the more complex designs, finger lingering on the flourishes that adorned the jacket.

"…it is…"

"Thanks Candi," Julius leant a bit out of his chair to kiss his wife's cheek. Angie saw the smile that lifted the corner of her mother's face freeze, her features hardening. She tilted her head slightly in confusion. Her mother normally loved when her father kissed her.

Candace quickly pulled back from the table, not that Angie's father paid attention to the fact. He just beamed at his wife, gazing at her with what Angie understood as all the love in the world.

"Finish up quickly sweetie; you don't want to make Mommy worry about having to get you to school on time," Her father pushed himself to his feet, forcing two sets of blue eyes upon him. "I'm off to work, so have a good day okay pumpkin?"

"Okay," she replied softly in return, moving quickly to comply with his request. Trying to finish her food as quickly as possible without making a mess, she took a second to look at her father with pleading eyes. "Please be home early today?"

"He'll be home before dinner Angie," her mother walked up to the two, Angie's backpack in hand. "We'll still get to see Aunt Luna tonight, don't worry." A content smile passed over her lips. "I'm sure she's just as excited as you, so even if we're a few minutes late, her and great-gran won't mind waiting."

"Good," her father nodded his agreement, still not moving from his place beside the table. "Have a good day then Daddy." He beamed, placing another kiss on her head and went to say good-bye to her mother. Having started on their usual good-bye routine, Angie watched the two interact happily. It was always a good day when she got to see her parents act lovey-dovey. It made her feel all warm and loved.

A few minutes later, with emptied plate put away and her father now gone, Angie and her mother finally started on their way toward town hall.

"Are you doing anything after school today?"

Angie gripped her mother's hand tightly as they crossed the gate into town, the area always made her self-conscious. A cool spring breeze left her purple locks tussled. "I'm going to Brownie Ranch with Van after school."

"Are you?" Candace cooed softly at her daughter. "Are you going to see the animals?"

"Nope, we're going to the hill," as they crested the steps to the town square, Angie looked up at her mother with a confused look. "Should we go see the animals?"

"You can do whatever you want," Candace let go of the small hand within her grasp, placing it on the smaller girl's head instead. "Just have fun with Van. Tell me about it when you get home?"

Angie nodded animatedly, before quickly adjusting the straps of her knapsack. Candace stroked her hair once before patting her back quickly, signaling that she should probably be on her way. Giving her mother a quick hug, she ran toward the double-oak doors.

Another school day had begun, and she couldn't wait to see what adventures her and her friends would have.

* * *

Professor Gill had let them out for the day, saying that he'd felt satisfied with the material they'd covered and that _nearly_ everyone had been 'perceptive and diligent' (whatever that meant) enough to grasp. He'd looked pointedly at Dakota and Matt while saying it too, but Angie wasn't entirely sure what that meant. Maybe Dakota and Matt were just so smart, that they were ahead of everyone else? She'd have to discuss it with Van soon.

She hurried along the path that led towards Allan's tree, her small shoes slapping against the rough dirt of the trodden path. As she rounded the bend to Brownie Ranch's barn, a shock of dark black hair entered her line of vision.

"Van!"Angie called, attempting to gain the black-haired boy's attention from the small distance that separated them. The little girl gave herself a moment to study her friend, as she waited for a response, jogging the remaining distance.

He had his hands wrapped around another book, this one about birds, and he was seated at the top of the hill. He gave a small wave at her approach, barely looking up to greet her as she plopped down in front of him. He couldn't pull himself away from the printed words before him, too drawn into the world of letters and figures to be distracted by reality. Angie waited by his side, used to her friend's focus, twisting the short strands of grass around her.

Still without looking up, Van pulled an object from his bag, holding it out for Angie's inspection. She plucked it from his hands slowly, timid but curious about the hidden contents.

"I thought you'd like it," he muttered, as she un-wrapped the napkin around it. She saw him fidget out of the corner of her eye, making her eyebrow twitch with the need to raise a brow. He wasn't usually shy about sharing things with her.

The sight of the orange fruit made a high pitch squeal escape into the quiet of Brownie Ranch, echoing in the crispness of the spring air. Excitement practically oozed from the girl, she being unable to take her eyes off the delightful little ball. She took a second to admire the luxury, which was an uncommon enough sight within her own home.

"I love oranges!" Angie said happily, turning bright, sparkling eyes on the boy beside her. "How did you get a hold one?"

"Dad happened to pick up some in city," Van mumbled, turning over another page. "Mom told me to bring a fruit this morning."

"So you…you thought you'd bring one and share it with me?" She smiled, cradling the ball within her two palms.

Brown eyes finally flitted up to gaze over at their friend. A barely perceptible smile raised a corner of his lips. He gave a curt nod.

"Thank you Van," the young girl leaned forward, and with a soft smile, encircled her friend in her arms, squeezing him tightly. "It was nice of you to think of me."

The boy cleared his throat slightly, setting his book off to the side. "Y-you're welcome," He gave a slight shrug. "It isn't anything special really."

"Still, it was nice that you did something like that."

He hummed in agreement, which Angie took that as a sign to detangle herself. She had his full attention now, so the fun could finally begin.

"So what kind of game are we going to play today?"

They played on until the late hours of the afternoon, but that wasn't that uncommon either.


	2. Secret Base

Light filtered in through the canopy above, sprinkling the pine-covered floor of Praline Woods with pinpricks of light. The needles and leaves covering the ground remained undisturbed by the fresh breeze, still damply packed down thanks to the melted winter snows. Weasels weaved in and out amongst the trees, enjoying the newfound heat that spring offered. Tiny footsteps followed not to close behind, scurrying quickly to and fro as they attempted to follow the furry creatures.

Childish laughter rebounded off the thick trunks, catching in the branches and new leaf buds. The thick forest hid the activities of the young within it, shielding them from the expectant and demanding world that surrounded it. Within its confines, the child yelled, cried and lived freely.

Black shoes ground to a halt beside one particularly large conifer, its occupant out-of-breath and wheezing from the continuous activity. Blue sneakers stopped by a few moments later, fidgeting where they rested a few steps away on the pine needles.

"Y'ok Van?" Matt mumbled, perpetual smile in place on his face. The grin made the dark-haired boy wonder if his friend was mocking him, as his smile never seemed to leave. Day-in and day-out it was plastered on his lips, never shifting or dipping in the slightest. "You can't get tired yet. We still got stuff to do later, plus everyone s'pposed to be heading back to the fort now to plan and stuff. We can't get left behind!"

"I-I'm fine," huffed Van, pushing himself off the tree he was leaning on. "And I'm not tired! Just…I just wanted to observe something for a moment." He straightened his glasses slightly, trying to look serious. "Anyways, I believe I'm done for now, shall we head back?"

"Come on, we gotta hurry!" Matt was off like a shot, sneakers smacking softly against the forest floor as he ran. Van followed suite, hair bobbing and chest heaving as he tried to catch up.

The boys moved quickly through the trees, one enjoying the breeze whilst his companion kept his eyes glued to the forest floor for the roots. He barely even noticed when they finally broke into the clearing that contained the clubhouse.

He probably should have.

"Guys, guys, guys, guys, GUYS!" There was Dakota, bouncing around like a squirrel on pixie sticks. "You took sooooo long. I'm almost mummied!"

He would have found some way to avoid this.

"That's _mummified_ Dakota," He adjusted his glasses, not at all amused by the girl's hyper energy.

She stuck her tongue out at him in response. "Well Mr. Do-goodie-know-it-all-pants, that doesn't matter, you guys are late. Capital L-a-t-e," she snuffed, her feet tapping with a nervous energy. "We gots loads to do and the others are getting dancey."

Van let out another sigh of frustration. "You mean antsy Dak-"

"Wow Daki, you sounded _just_ like Prof Gilly a second ago! It was awesome," Matt smiled brightly, clearly unbothered by her complaining, at least, from what Van could tell. He watched as his friend teetered back and forth happily, seeming genuinely amused by the comparison he'd made.

A confused look crossed Dakota's features, clouding her eyes temporarily before she let loose a giggle. As an "I so did!" rang out, it didn't take long for the giggle to spread and for the black haired boy to be left, in a matter of what seemed like seconds, the only person not laughing at the unintentional Gill impression.

He got tired of the awkward situation fairly quickly. "Do you remember the password?" Van asked, taking a step closer to the laugh-riot of a little girl. "You know the rules."

She nodded between giggles, the giddiness only wearing off slightly after she turned away from Matt. The light haired boy was still letting loose the occasional childish chortle, body slightly slumped by laughter. It was starting to become difficult to define his features, as the shadows cast by the setting sun obscured different sections of the clearing. Squinting, Van was just able to make out his friend straightening up and taking a second to bask in the sudden shade. He returned his attention to the girl in front of him then, who was, unfortunately, being boldly highlighted by the oranges and pinks of the light that crested the trees.

"One secret password, coming up!" Dakota sing-songed, quickly going to rap her knuckles against the sides of wooden shed; her pattern was erratic, holding no rhythm to Van's young ears. It seemed to do the trick however, as whoever was on the other side of the closed door cracked it open and peered through the small space.

Their headquarters was backed into the trees on one end of the cleared area, hidden in the shadow of the branches that spread overheard. It was a shoddily put together shack, in Van's 'humble' opinion, likely a left over from the carpenters more ambitious attempts at cutting down trees further within the forest. The walls were made from a dark redwood that was clearly unsmoothed in certain places and painted a painful fire-engine red in others. A few windows were scattered throughout, varying in size and in symmetry. The base's door was situated at an irregular angle, crooked and half hanging off its hinges when it was open.

The first time they'd come across the place, Van had thought that it might have been designed and built by Luke on one of his sugar highs. It wouldn't have been the first time _that _had happened.

Angie poked her head briefly through the gap, shyly staring at everyone before giving a soft greeting. Dakota cleared her throat expectantly afterward, looking at the other girl as she visibly shifted despite being hidden by the door. Matt continued to smile, albeit a little more for Angie's sake, as they waited for her to allow them in.

She began to clear the entrance so that they could enter when the carrot-top in the clearing cleared her throat again, a barely perceptible cough tingeing the end of it. Angie looked up quizzically, Dakota having tilted her head exaggeratedly to emphasis her point. The boys could only watch with sympathy as she tried to figure out what exactly she wanted.

Losing patience, Dakota finally grumbled. "…just ask for the password…"

Realization seemed to dawn on Angie's face before another confused look descended upon her.

"I thought we said that we weren't doing that today?"

"Pass. Word." Dakota hissed, unwilling to discuss the statement.

"But we-"

"No. Password."

Van didn't like the tone Dakota was using. Then again, he sometimes didn't even like Dakota, but in a small town like theirs, beggars couldn't always be choosers with friends. She really shouldn't take that tone with Angie though.

"Aren't we supposed to use the password?" Matt whispered to him, smile diminished and brows furrowed.

"Don't you remember? We only started again recently after…_you know who_…thought that the woodpeckers might get in if we only used the secret knock."

"Oh yeah…"

"Oh…um…password, yes," The violet haired girl shifted again nervously, probably due to the pigtailed one's glare more than anything. In a small voice she asked, "So…what's the password?"

"Snickerdoodle," Dakota looked beyond satisfied as the door opened wide, Angie quietly getting out of the way as the girl came in. Matt was quick to flock to her side, bumping his shoulder against her good naturally and offering a cheerfully goofy face before heading in also. The smaller girl chuckled at her friend's antics, her expression brightening as Van walked toward her.

"Hey," she murmured when he finally stopped just feet away. His expression softened into a small smile before he nodded in acknowledgement; the two remained like that for several moments, neither speaking nor moving until she took his hand in hers, pulling him after their friends.

Spring light danced through the small windows of their wooden play house, illuminating the assorted knick-knacks that littered the corners and surfaces of everything available in the room. As Van and Angie entered the scene, the others were scattered throughout its expanse, either playing or making plans. A mop of green hair immediately caught the black-haired boy's eye, making him slowly drift in his direction with Angie in tow.

He wasn't greeted very enthusiastically. In fact, he was barely acknowledged at all.

"Bug."

The doctor's son quirked an eyebrow, clearly confused. _What bug?_

"Hey Heath," the timid smile on Angie's face could be heard in her words. "What are you looking at?"

"Bug."

"Yes, that we heard," Van tried to peer around the taller boy, whose frame was hunched and turned away from the rest of the group. "Maybe we could take a look at it?"

"Bug."

Van could only deflate with his sigh. His friend could be a little too focused on his research subjects. "Yes Heath, it is a bug. Moving on from that point…"

Angie placed a hand on his shoulder, using it as leverage to peek at what he was hiding. Quickly, a bright smile formed, making her grayish-blue eyes sparkle.

"That's…"

"What is it?" He impatiently shuffled from foot to foot, trying to contain his curiosity. His voice rose in irritation as his question was met with silence. "What bug?'

"Bug!?" The shrill voice of Dakota pierced through Van's mind once more. "Where!? Whose got it!?"

Orange haired whipped wildly from side to side, slowly drawing the attention of the other club members. Paolo, who seemed to have been her previous diversion, squinted at the rest of the room, looking for all the world like he was trying to glare the truth out of his surroundings.

"Heath…found something," Angie's voice ran hesitantly throughout the wooden shed. "But…erm…

"Found somethin'?" Paolo drawled, his expression open and curious as he wandered the length of the room. "What kind?"

"Well…"

"Wooow," Matt murmured in awe. Van's head whipped around to see Matt perched where Angie had been moments before, brown hair bobbing up and down in enthusiasm. He was a little irked that his friend was so good at sneaking up on things, leaving him behind with the rest of the anxious crowd. "Awesome."

Grey-blue eyes sparkled once again, letting themselves wander to the male duo.

"I know…"

"What's awesome!?" The black-haired boy had to fight to keep a smirk from crossing his features. Comical steam was practically pouring from Dakota's ears. Her voice had risen to the point where almost only dogs could hear her. "TELL ME!"

Van wasn't the only one smirking it seemed. From across the room, Sasilvia, leaned against the broken vanity that they'd turned into their 'treasure' spot. A broad smug smile was curling her lips and her posture showed her pleasure with the situation. As dark-red hair was being casually looped around a finger, the farmer's daughter's brown eyes scanned the scene with interest. Apparently, the doctor's son wasn't the only one who found amusement in Dakota's annoyance.

"Heaaaaathh!" The pigtailed girl drew out the whine. "Cooomeee on."

"Show it to us Heath," The shaggy-haired boy finally uncurled himself from his crouch, his body sluggish in the warm afternoon light. Van nodded his head, hoping his words hadn't come off too needy. Dakota and Paolo teetered in place, visibly impatient and anxiously waiting for the taller boy to finish turning around. Even Sasilvia, in all her nonchalance, seemed just as invested in the suspenseful atmosphere.

What he held up wasn't _entirely_ what they had been expecting.

"That's it man, really?" Paolo's squint had lost its curious tinge and a look of utter confusion replaced it. "It's just paper!"

The 'paper' in question was actually faded parchment, Van noted, and seemed to have several curious markings spotting its well-worn surface.

"It…isn't just paper," Angie protested vehemently, her hands grasping her skirt in frustration. Matt nodded furiously in agreement, his eyes glued to Heath as if he held the secrets of the universe.

Lithe limbs guided the spotlighted boy to the middle of the room, and he quickly stepped onto the small uneven coffee table at its heart. The boy once again thrust the document forward for all to see. The other occupants of their base all flocked to the center, maneuvering their way around some of their toys that lay scattered on the ground. A spark of recognition lit up Sasilvia's face first.

"So that's what you meant by bug," she murmured around a grin, letting her feet carry her to the side of one of the sofas surrounding the table. "Genius."

Van wanted to groan in frustration; he didn't enjoy it when his classmates got the answer before him. He attempted to concentrate a little harder, brows furrowed and eyes so intent that they could burn holes into the paper.

The object in Heath's hands was old and faded; a piece of parchment well past its prime. Beyond holes and discolored patches sprinkled throughout, thick black lines came together to form a map. Upon further inspection, it seemed to be a rough outline of the island, with crude markers showing buildings or other landmarks. The sight of a small creature and a peculiar location caught his eye. A sudden flush of excitement and euphoria captured him.

Now he understood where the other boy was going with this, and the others were right. This _was_ absolutely ingenious.

"I can't wait to go looking for it," It was the longest sentence Heath had put together since they arrived. "Dad is always saying that adventures like this only come around once in a lifetime, so I _can't_ stop halfway this time."

The doctor's son gave the boy a scrutinizing look. "When have you _ever_ given up on _anything_?"

Heath's mouth broadened into a grin. "Well if you put it that way," His head swiveled from side to side, looking proudly at the others in the room as he beamed. "I do never back down from an adventure. Like my mum always says 'there's always a way to move forward, so don't ever give up.'"

Van noted his friend's usual attitude coming to the fore. He hadn't meant it as a compliment, quite the opposite truthfully, but the other boy had refused to acknowledge an alternative. He was normally like that with everything however, always moving forward regardless of the consequences.

"I _still_ don't get it!" Dakota cried, hands tugging at her pigtails. The agonized faces that she and Paolo were pulling were starting to get to the doctor's son, and he struggled to keep a straight face as he watched them.

"It's our next quest nimrods," and there went Sasilvia, as offensive as ever. Van smiled.

"How!?" Paolo drawled as he collapsed on the sofa behind him. "I don't get it.'

"It's from my dad's office," Heath began. The boy's father, Calvin, was an archeologist who always got his hands on fascinating documents and artifacts. Of course, rather than store these precious objects elsewhere, he kept everything within his office and in plain sight. "I found it this morning when I was rummaging through stuff. My dad had just thrown it away in a corner – probably thought it wasn't important or whatever – so I took it."

"Awesome," Matt whispered. His expression wasn't far off from the impressed looks that covered the faces of the other two in front, as if his coming by the map was some great heroic feat. Even Sasilvia seemed to admire his 'style,' or so she would have called it.

Despite the day was quickly passing around them, everyone seemed frozen within the small base. Out of the corner of his eye, Van saw Angie glow with excitement, waiting eagerly for the knowledge she already knew. The sight made a small genuine smile, cross his lips.

"Anyways, it's a map of Waffle Town in the old, old, _olden_ days, when the ruins weren't, you know, ruins," he pointed to the top left corner of the map. "But that isn't even the best part!" Van felt the boy gearing up for his typical history lecture mode, wishing that he could find some way to stop him, not wanting his friend to feel embarrassed at the others lack of interest. Several of their eyes even glazed over in preparation.

"Apparently, there's something hidden in the village somewhere…"

That quickly caught everyone's attention, drawing them back from their tuned out states, and murmuring erupted amongst the different pairs. Sasilvia even took the time to raise her eyebrow at Van, gesturing with her head toward the messy haired adventurer and mouthing "think it's legit?" The table began to creak as the boy shifted, his feet shuffling and beginning to tap as he became more and more excited at his big reveal. The others shifted anxiously, interest restored, as they waited for him to continue.

"Something…big."

"Get on with it already! The day's a wastin'." Whined Paolo, his noise then prompting a swift agreement from his carrot-topped couch mate, who lay against several ripped throw-cushions.

"Okay, so get this," Heath jumped down from his perch, seating himself instead. The others flocked a little bit closer. "The people who used to live in the town, the guys who used the ruins, apparently they left something super important behind, something that the grown-ups really want to get their hands on." He adjusted his hat slightly, letting the silence stretch on. His next words came out swiftly. "And this map leads straight to it."

"Wait, if that thing is so important, why'd your dad just leave it lying around?"

Heath's deep-blue eyes bore into Sasilvia's, his expression serious, "My dad thought the trail was dried up, but he just didn't understand the map's secret."

Both Angie and Matt, sitting side by side on two patched couch cushions to Heath's right, made themselves heard by boldly, and proudly, exclaiming, "Bug."

"Exactly."

"I still don't see how insects play a part in this…"

"I'm getting there Van, I'm getting there," the adventurer's son quickly drew attention to several bits of gold leaf that seemed to litter the map. "These little critters are stag beetles."

"Wait, so the secret, scary thingie that these ancient folks left behind was a bug!?"

"Shut up Paolo," Dakota grinded out.

"No. Now stop interrupting," The green-haired boy huffed, placing the piece of paper on his lap. "Anyway, to these 'ancient folks,'" the boy sent a small glare Paolo's way, or as much as he could manage anyway. "Stag beetles were the guardians of sacred areas."

The dark-haired boy nodded his head; their friend often found little knick-knacks and artifacts around his house and brought them back for the group to see. His 'discoveries' often brought out mixed results from the crowd, himself included, but sometimes he seemed to hit the jackpot with whatever he found.

"Yeah! I remember Professor Gill saying that about the bug hier-higher-hiro-thingies a few weeks ago."

"So the signs on the map…are of sacred places?"

His hat bobbed up and down, "Sort of. They're more like keys on how to get to _a_ sacred place."

"Huh?" The young fisherman's brow furrowed, and, though he had whispered it, the monosyllabic utterance reverberated around the space.

Van felt the need to step in to support his friend. "They were more frequently used as signs, warning people against entering places, pointing them toward places, that kind of thing."

"So what does that hafta do with that grown-up thingie?"

"So," Heath went to straighten his windbreaker next. "I figured that all the beetles come together somehow."

"Yeah, and, and!?"

"Well, I mean, it makes sense that there'd be tons and tons of them in the ruins, but with so many around town, it's suspicious."

The doctor's son could see that the excited adventurer was losing the group, and he was starting to get impatient himself. "So what do they mean and how do they fit?"

"I think the beetles are like 'X's' on a treasure map; they're where treasures have been buried."

"Treasure," the group mumbled in unison, enthusiasm evident in all their tones. The orange-light of later day, as it wafted in through the thick panes of glass, set all their eyes ablaze. Soon, they would have another exploit to embark on and their days of monotony would be at an end.

However, the hushed silence did not last. It was Angie who first noticed the problem with Heath's story.

"Er…that thing the adults want, it couldn't be split into pieces like that…could it?"

Sasilvia moved herself so that she was perched by Angie, leaning some of her weight on the shoddy green cushion as she sat on its edge. Van knew the red-haired girl refused to be any further from the center of the action.

"The stag beetles are the _key_ to _**finding**_ it."

"How?" Van's question hung heavy in the air, his uncontrollable curiosity making itself known.

"I think that they all fit together – like the pieces of a puzzle – and that once we have all of them together, they'll lead us right to it."

"Awww, so they're not real treasure? They're just weird junk that leads us to other super important stuff?"

"Not exactly," The adventurer hummed, his feet sliding back and forth across the dirt floor. His feet disturbed the kid magazines and sketchbooks that were on the floor with the table. "Like I was saying, that treasure probably, when put together, is like a guide or something to where the sacred place with the important item is."

Van was about to speak up when an older male voice interrupted him. "Though plausible, it sounds like too great a leap in logic, Heath."

The lot whirled to the source of the unexpected sound, only to be greeted by Perry's lanky, teenage form. He stood silhouetted in the doorway, blue hair near black against the shadows created by the dimming sunlight. The assistant placed a steadying hand on the wall, just inches shy of the blanket covered shelf where they hid their snacks. The girls exchanged nervous glances; the three of them had just restocked the shelves and they didn't want Perry to find out about their candy collection.

"It is not!"

"What the heck does 'plausible' even mean!?" Dakota's voice rose slightly, nervousness laced in her confused tone.

"I got nothin' Daki, I've never heard Prof Gill say anythin' in class about it."

Sasilvia lifted herself from her saggy, mismatched cushion, going back to crossing her arms and leaning against the vanity. Van noticed how Angie settled a bit more heavily into the cushion after the red-heads departure, as if trying to ground herself. They all straightened themselves a little at the older boy's approach; his age did give him authority after all. His authority did mean he sometimes snitched to the parents, though.

"The stag beetles obviously mean something, there wouldn't be so many of them if they didn't," Van tried to reason, echoing Heath's argument, eyes shifting between Heath's still figure and Perry. "Wouldn't ignoring that be a bad thing?"

The older boy crossed his arms, letting the comment fade into the quickly cooling air. The others looked amongst themselves, before silently resolving to support Heath in his idea. They all turned back to the doctor's assistant, with defiant expressions in place and their heads held high.

"Anyway, that wasn't why I stopped by," Perry deflected, his short hair fluttering in the slight breeze coming through the doorway. "Doctor Jin asked me to warn all of you that the sun will be setting soon, and that, given the season, staying out in the forest too late would be unwise. That, and Gill asked me to tell you all to go do your homework; it isn't winter break anymore after all."

Despite the collective groan that came from his last statement, the boy then turned and made his exit, leaving the shed door wide open as he made his way through the clearing. The group of youngsters became more relaxed the further away he was, until his disappearing amongst the trees prompted them to look back at one another.

"Such a debbie-downer," muttered Matt, who had flopped onto the beige cushion underneath him.

They all nodded in agreement. Even if he was their friend it didn't mean they always had to enjoy his company.

"Well guys, guess we better be goin'," Paolo pulled himself up from his chair, taking a moment to stretch before motioning to the still-open doorway. "We'll go treasure-huntin' next time."

Heath pouted in defeat, but also hopped up from his make-shift seat. He rolled the map up, eyes unfocused, waiting for the other kids to leave. Van knew that he was probably still bothered by what Perry had said; he wasn't one for being challenged.

Dakota's orange pig-tails bounced as she jumped to her feet, eyes again alight and clearly excited by another idea.

"Maybe we can't go treasure hunting today, but maybe we can do some exploring! We still got _some_ time before dinner, so we can right?"

Interest and happiness quickly replaced the tense atmosphere, as the others nodded their consent to the new plan. The adventurer went to tuck the map into their 'discovery' pile in the corner of the room, before quickly trotting back to the group that had begun to make its way into the afternoon sun.

He bounced in a jolly trot beside Van, as Angie directed herself to the dark-haired boy's other side. The whole group was energetic with the looming prospect of their exploration, even if they were going to start in the Maple Lake District, an area they were all too familiar with.

Heath was the first to break under the excited tension. "Come on guys, we don't have a minute to waste! Adventure awaits us!"

"But shouldn't we plan fir-" Muttered Van, a little shocked by the sudden declaration.

Ignoring the comment, the green-haired boy pressed on, running quickly to the head of the group and yelling "ADVENTURE TIME!" before darting off into the trees. Much like earlier that day, the other kids gave chase, running through the woods towards their next exploit, ever eager to start. The laughter of all but two echoed throughout the small forest between the mountains.

Angie giggled as Van waved his hand at the lot of them, and the two slowly drifted to the back of the pack as Heath and the others ran ahead. As a sharp gust of wind rushed trough the trees the violet haired girl shifted a little closer to the boy beside her, winding her arm through his. They walked on for a few minutes, calmly taking in the sunset colored woods, before Sasilvia reappeared alongside them.

"It's style," Her hair fluttered as she twirled around the two other youngsters. The movements made her voice ricochet off into the trees, echoing it in the distance. "My style."

"What is?"

"This dancing. Mom always says that it's important to have your own style whenever you try something, and I think this might be mine."

"It's really…cool Sasi."

Sasilvia beamed, "Thanks Angie." Red hair whipped around once more before the girl finally settled, walking backwards just a few feet away from the two. "Now hurry up Mister and Misses, we got a place to explore to find. That, and Daki said that the last person to the lake has to steal Maya's great-gran's cookies from the Inn, and I really, _really_ want to see her get yelled at by the old tanker. You guys ready?"

Angie could only softly click her tongue in disapproval as Van vehemently nodded, a bounce suddenly in his step.

"Well, I guess we can't let her and Paolo win…"

"That's the spirit Ang! Now let's go show'em!"

The dancer's daughter sprinted ahead, quickly disappearing into the maze of trees. Turning to his companion, Van gave her hand a quick squeeze and extracted himself, mentally preparing for the dash ahead. Within a beat, the two were off, the only sounds between them the thud of their feet, their deep breaths and the pounding of their hearts in the tepid spring air.

**A/N: A small point of clarification regarding Sasilvia, because I know some must be wondering. She's meant to be the farmer and Selena's daughter, and her name comes from Kuneko's (author of Harvest High!) daughter in ToT. I decided to use her rather than Luke and Selena's daughter Lucy because I would feel out of sorts if I used an exclusively AP character in a ToT fanfic. I hope she wasn't too great a source of confusion though and proved to be interesting to read! Until next time. **


	3. Undercover

Chapter 3: Undercover

Angie was bouncing in excitement as her mother tied the final ribbon into her hair. She was a girl on a mission, and one who was quite happy with the task she had been assigned. Her mother settled into the seat beside her as the two waited for her father to finish, Angie taking the extra time to marvel over the various bottles that covered the surface of her parents vanity. She knew that some people called her daddy 'girly', and that they'd whisper and laugh at him, but she loved the way he dressed up and put on make-up. He was beautiful, like her mommy always said, so why couldn't he show it off? Adults really frustrated Angie sometimes. They just didn't make sense.

Even though adults were confusing, the little girl was still really excited to see one of them. Her aunt Luna definitely didn't _act_ like an adult, even though her stuffy boyfriend was around half the time. She always had the best stuff and the funnest plans and everybody loved her, especially Angie. She was the _best_.

Angie toyed with the small eye-shadow case that her father had left on the counter, her legs swinging off the edges of the bed. She couldn't wait to see what kind of stuff her aunt wanted to do this time. All the kids agreed that she was one of the coolest adults in town, and could take a joke, unlike some grown-ups. She'd even helped them steal candy during the Sea Festival one year, letting them sneak into Sue and Samson's food crates when everyone else had been watching the fireworks. Angie wished she still had some of that candy – Sue and Samson had stopped bringing them after, so they probably wouldn't have pineapple flavored suckers for a long time.

A sad pout puffed out her lips, her hands stilling on the shiny clasp of the case. She really wanted candy…

"You ready to go Angie?" Candace asked while getting to her feet. The little girl's head whipped up to look at her mother, only to be confronted by soft blue eyes and a gentle hand coming down to smooth her hair. She quickly hopped up and zoomed to the door, pout and sad thoughts forgotten.

She couldn't wait to see her aunt Luna.

She should have guessed that _he_ would have come.

The back-apartment of the Tailor Shop was small, almost cramped when filled with 5 adults and a child, but it held warmth that most other abodes couldn't accommodate. It was homely, even with the dull cream colored walls, and the hanging lamp's light shown brightly off the polished dinnerware.

She liked her professor, she really did; Gill wasn't always mean and could be really interesting sometimes. Well, interesting in a Van way, anyway. But she barely ever got to spend time with her aunt without the other adult being there, at least these days, and she wanted a bit of a break. Her mama said it was because Gill asked Auntie Luna to be his fancy-a, but Angie wasn't so sure. What was a fancy-a anyway?

"Have you been enjoying 'The Tales of Mist Turnip: The Wanderer'?"

Angie looked around nervously, begging her family to look up from their plates and save her from the question. Her fork tittered, suspended in the air from her loose grip. If only someone would spe-

"Angie, dear, Gill asked you a question," Her great-grandmother offered her a kind smile, her voice gentle and coaxing. "You shouldn't keep him waiting."

"I've, I started it," she mumbled, trying to focus on the casual swing of her legs beneath the table. "It's…good."

The teacher nodded in agreement, unaware of her discomfort. "What did you think of the series of misfortunate – erm the bad," he coughed, his correction stifled by the napkin he used to wipe the corners of his mouth, "Things that happen to the towns Mist goes to?"

"Um…" Her fork moved the gravy around on her plate, making a mess of the remaining vegetables and scraps of meat. "The stuff that happens to her is weird."

"Indeed, but didn't you wonder why it was strange?"

"Erm…" She squirmed in her seat once more. "It's strange, she's happy all the time but horrible stuff always happens around her. Like when all the crops died and the people in village only had their turnips to eat; she wasn't unhappy about it."

"Ah, you mean there's a dissonance between her personality and the events surrounding her stay in the village? Yes, that's what I find most interesting too."

"Dis-dissonance?" Angie squeaked out, relieved to have answered adequately, but unready for the enthusiastic response.

"Quite, I know it may be a bit too mature for you and your classmates, but I thought this kind of suspenseful account would be interesting due to its focus on a pleasant girl who brings misfortune with her wherever she goes-"The teacher continued on in a overzealous manner, making the young girl bite her lip. Though she liked that her answer was correct, her instructor's enthusiasm and intelligence was a little intimidating sometimes. She was kind of afraid to speak because of it.

Luna spared her niece a glance, and, noticing her uncertain look, placed a hand on Gill's in order to silence him. This conversation had gone on for long enough.

"Maybe we can leave the oral presentation and post-oral discussion for later?" The Mayor's son looked sheepish in response, quickly pulling his arm away and clearing his throat. Luna nodded in approval, sending a warm smile to the man before turning it toward Angie.

"So what have you and the gang been up to Ang? Any new candy adventures?" The older woman winked Angie's way, and a grin quickly plastered itself across the younger girl's lips. Candace was elated by the way her daughter lit up due to her sister; Luna was always good at raising people's spirits.

"Oh Goddess, please tell me there haven't been anymore raids since this summer. The week following the festival was madness," grumbled Gill, head sinking into a propped up hand.

Angie giggled and most of the adults beamed at the sound. Julius helplessly gestured at his wife and Candace simply smiled in acknowledgement. Their whole family really was devoted to the little girl. Her parents finally managed to relax, letting the homey atmosphere of Shelley's wash over them.

"Nope, but now our adventures are _way_ more important than candy," The violet-haired girl poked happily at her potatoes, pleased to finally be the focus of her aunt's attention. Her eyes were practically sparkling in excitement.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, but it's a secret," Her excitement dimmed somewhat. She'd sworn an oath, alongside the rest, that she couldn't reveal what they were doing to the adults under _any_ circumstances. _Perry said oaths are things that we have to make sure are never broken. Like a really, really important promise._ Luna might have been one of her favorite adults, but she was still just that, _an adult_, so she couldn't say anything, no matter how exciting it was.

Still, her aunt took it in stride. "Alright sweetie, whatever you say," she rounded off the phrase with another wink and Angie couldn't help but brighten once again.

She should probably take advantage of this opportunity – even though she desperately wanted to talk to her aunt and not pay attention to the man – after all, she did have a secret mission. They knew that she had the best chance of getting this done, of getting close enough to their target so that they could get the information they needed, The 'intel' (or that's what Taylor had called it anyway) would help them move forward in their quest; bringing them one step closer to solving the mystery of the golden beetles.

All she needed to do was get Gill to talk.

That, and figure out how to actually talk to him. "So…Mr. Gill, I wanted to ask you about something we did in class awhile ago…"

She recoiled a little into herself, chin tucked into her chest, as it registered that she'd finally taken the first step. The young girl couldn't back out now, she might not get another chance.

"Oh? What would you like to know, Angela?" Gill asked, from what Angie understood, kindly.

"Um, about those hieroglyphs that we were talking about…"

"You like those dusty old things sweetie? If I'd known you liked that, I would've shown you some of Auntie Mira's old cross-stitches. They're ancient!" Julius joked, pulling a silly face for his daughter. Candace frowned lightly at the intrusion, but quickly put on a small smile when her husband turned to her.

"Gill knows a lot about the island's ruins," Her aunt's eyes gleamed, almost in a way that reminded Angie of stars, as she looked towards her future husband. "I'm sure he could answer all your questions, Angie." Most times, this kind of mushiness would be disgusting to kids her age, but the little girl loved the romance of it all. What did really annoy her though, was the tension her soon-to-be uncle brought whenever he was around.

"Isn't that right, Prof Tomato Pie?" Luna sing-songed mockingly, poking him in the cheek as a scarlet blush adorned his cheeks.

Her professor scoffed before attempting to hide both his embarrassment and break in composure at the name. Gill was clearly having a hard time adjusting to Luna's special brand of pet names.

"Hopefully he's made from cherry tomatoes. The other option is just…nasty," Julius poked his tongue out in disgust, earning him an amused chuckle and eye-roll from his wife and sister-in-law. "Then again, anything is probably better than the Sour-Sprite filling little Lunie has. So, even if he wasn't, at least people wouldn't screw their faces up whenever he'd walk by." He pursed his lips to demonstrate, completely distracting Angie from her mission.

"You're one to talk twinkle-toes! You're so shiny that people think that you've jumped into a glitter bath and then added an extra layer of body paint whenever you're in the sun. But what they don't know-" The pink-haired woman smiled teasingly, ensuring that everyone knew that this was all in good fun. "Is that you secretly sew the jewels people give Mira into your clothes. Don't think I haven't seen the sapphire that Jin gave her on the inside of your lapel. Didn't you hear that he wanted to turn that into a ring for someone? Really, for you to steal stuff like that and not even offer them to your favorite sister-in-law..."

Candace gave a good-humored gasp, and the adults continued their chatter merrily. Dinner was quickly forgotten as the previous tension dissipated, food quickly settling low within their stomachs and spirits lifting higher as the jovial mood continued.

The conversation had veered far away from where Angie had originally intended, but she didn't mind. Her eyes drifted over to the potted plants by the window sill, her thoughts jumping from plants, to trees, to flowers, to fruit and then back to trees again. Maybe, someday, she would find a tree _so _big that its branches filled the entire sky; where nothing but leaves existed when you looked up. Maybe the tree would stretch all the way up into the clouds, its thick trunk green with dewy moss and alive, moving, shifting in the breeze like an animal awakened to life. Wasn't there a story like that somewhere? She remembered it…somehow…almost like it was a faraway dream.

An actual breeze shifted the ends of the ribbon in her hair, the soft strands hitting her face bringing her back to the dinner table. She saw her great-grandmother slowly move away from the window, her back hunched and her legs slow and jerky in their movements.

Her wide blue eyes looked back to the other adults around the table, noticing how they were momentarily silent. A white vest caught her attention, and suddenly all that she and her friends had discussed in the clubhouse came rushing back to her.

"Gill," she said, her voice quiet, almost mouse-like, in the contented atmosphere. "C-Can you tell me about the Goddess quilt?"

While Shelley busied herself in the kitchen, cleaning and sorting and creating a soft din in the background, the other adults looked back towards the youngest member in the room. They'd forgotten that she had wanted to ask a question. They all shuffled a little closer, attempting to pay attention. Luna moved her plate away, trying not to distract herself, as Julius readjusted his reddish overcoat. Candace played with her sapphire ring all the while, a little nervous by her daughter's sudden questioning. Angie normally wasn't interested by these kinds of things.

"Hm, the Goddess quilt?" The professor leaned his elbows on the table, not expected the query. "Well, it's our village's sacred text," At seeing her earnest look, he tried to elaborate. "It's our island's creation story. Do you remember when we discussed myths in class?"

Her violet-haired bobbed once.

The light-blond cleared his throat. "You see, the quilt shows the Goddess and her servants, the Harvest Sprites, bringing life to the land. She apparently called the island 'Land of the Sacred Grove of Trees and Rainbows,' hoping that all the life on it would prosper and grow surrounded by their beauty. Granted, from auxiliary commentary on the subject, it's doubtful that she really intended for humans to live here."

"What do you mean?" Asked Julius, a little too swept up in the story. "If humans were the ones to make the quilt, why would they say something like that? How does an 'origin story' reject the people who it relates to?"

"Julius," Candace whispered, her voice soft but firm, not wanting him to start a fight over this. Even if he offered to come with her to church, she knew his thoughts on faith. She didn't want to start that kind of discussion tonight.

"This island was originally a nature sanctuary; a lonely outpost for a few of the Goddess' most devout. It was only well after the creation of that quilt that people began large-scale building here."

"Wait, what?" Luna piped in, now the one who was confused. "But I thought the ruins were from before the monastery? How does that work?"

The professor sighed, clearly exasperated with the delay in his explanation. "I don't want to dive into the historical theory behind it; I'm really not in the mood for that debate right now. What's important is that the Goddess Quilt is the creation account passed on from the ancients and it explains some of our islands peculiarities."

"P-pecul-liarities?"

"Maybe qualities would be a better word to use," The ashen blond turned back to his pupil with a soft smile, his voice losing its previous edge. Angie could tell that he only cared about encouraging her curiosity, even if his annoyed tone had scared her a little. "Regardless, the story has been around for a long time."

"When," the little girl looked down for a second, seemingly lost in thought. There had been a lot to take in over the past few minutes and a lot of foreign-sounding words. "When she bl-blessed the land, did she leave anything behind?"

"There was a Great Tree, if that can be called just 'anything.'" Gill lightly teased, which was an uncharacteristic gesture for the normally stoic man. His fiancée relaxed by his side, happily distracted by the way he was talking to one of her favorite people in the world.

"The Great Tree?"

"That's right," the other man in the room replied, more than happy to answer the curious girl. "It was well before you were born Angie, when your mom and I were just little kids. A gigantic tree used to be at the very center of the island, far, far away from the village itself."

"What happened to it?" She asked innocently, eye's wide and alight with interest. All of this sounded like one of the stories her and Van liked to read from time to time. It was all so…magical.

"It died, like a lot of really old trees," The suddenly sad and sullen look on the small cherubic face didn't escape his notice. He hastily continued, "But that happens to a lot of plants, Angie. Sometimes, old things have to end so that new and better things can take their place." Seeing that the look wasn't fading at all, Julius started to panic a little. He quickly floundered for a further follow-up. "You remember that movie we used to watch together? About that group of Lions?" He sung out the next part, going for the most melodramatic singing voice he could muster. "The Circle of Life."

The girl burst into giggles, her nose scrunching and smile widening as she laughed at her father's silliness.

Wanting to get back on topic, Gill tried to refocus his pupil. "Hm, so how did the Goddess Quilt relate back to your first question Angela?"

"Oh! Um," The little girl swiveled in her chair, looking away from her father. "Some of the pictures on the quilt can be found in the ruins, right?"

"Yes," Gill drew out, certain of his answer but uncertain of its relevance.

"I was - I was wondering," The little girl knew that she needed to play it cool. She couldn't come so far only to be figured out. "There are bugs on the walls in the ruins, right? So…um, are there any that are on the quilt too? Do they have something to do with the Goddess?"

"Oh, that," The fair haired man should have figured it had something to do with bugs. His students had an odd fascination with them, after all. "They don't appear on the quilt, and frankly, I'd say it's a stretch to say they're even connected at all, but some think that the insect hieroglyphs do have relevance..."

Angie was beginning to lose him again.

"There's one particular archeologist, Carter…Carter, Carter, something or other," He was annoyed; he rarely forgot names. "Anyway, he wrote a paper on the subject. He seemed to think that the bugs were tied down to particular locations that were connected to the Goddess in some special way."

"Special way?" The girl's eyes gleamed with curiosity, even if she could only understand her teacher 50% of the time. She was finally making her way toward what she wanted.

"Indeed. Well," Gill paused, as if preparing for a big reveal. "In the mine, there's a natural cave that is completely filled, top to bottom, with artistic paintings of these beetles."

The violet-haired girl's enthusiasm and excitement was difficult to contain. Jackpot. "There are some in the ruins? Can we go to the ruins Gill? Could we go see them? Can we? Can we? It would be so cool!"

"Angie, sweetie, what's this about?" Candace put a gentle hand on her daughter's arm, suddenly worried about this line of questioning. The girl knew her mother didn't like interfering, but she did worry from time to time, most mothers did. She was normally really quiet though, especially when Gill spoke, so Angie had hoped that she could get away with her questions.

"It's nothing Mommy," The blue-haired woman was looking at her expectantly, silently asking for more, as was her way. "It just sounds really pretty. Plus, it'd be fun to go."

Her pink-haired aunt giggled, leaning towards her conspiratorially. "That, and you'd get a 'get-out-of-class' free card. Don't think I can't see through you Ang, you obviously want a field-trip."

Angie's mother seemed to like this offered idea, quickly losing her worried stance.

"Are you saying my daughter was like you when we were in school?" Candace mocked playfully, her tone and expression taking on a rare teasing quality. "I haven't forgotten how you were always trying to get our teachers to bring us somewhere, or get out of class somehow. I'll never forget how Mr. Swanson caught you purposely trying to set the cafeteria ovens on fire…"

"Candiiii, don't bring that up now!" Luna whined, obviously wanting to save face in front of her lover. Whilst Gill looked aghast, the rest of the room took a second to laugh at the red-faced woman's expense.

"Anyway," Evidently wanting to forget about the attempted arson scenario, the professor redirected the conversation, yet again. "Remember how, in class, I said that the people who once lived here used the golden stag beetle to mark important locations?"

The girl hummed in assent.

"Well, Carter conjectured-" His fiancée cleared her throat and Gill quickly amended himself. "-thought that the beetles represented a life force, a kind of spirit that was intimately connected with divinity. It was a messenger – a symbol of the god's protection and divine blessing. A sprite of goodwill. The ancients thought that, because the beetles no longer appeared before regular men to show what locations were important, that they could create things that would do it instead. So, it stands to reason that special locations, whether they were temples, vaults or fields, that the people wanted to be divinely blessed would be marked in this way. "

That struck the little girl as odd. "Then why is there a cave filled with them? What could be so special about a cave?" She was suddenly worried that Heath's idea that the beetles would lead to some great secret was wrong. But, she couldn't jump to any conclusions. She had to see this through.

"It is thought that the cave might have been a shrine or temple before the ancients…abandoned it," The Professor adjusted his cufflinks, doing his best to avoid mentioning death. "Carter believes that the paintings in that location are especially important. He thinks they might hint at some greater link between the Goddess and the island, amongst other things. It all sounds very farfetched to me."

"So…he thinks it's like a treasure hunt? That they maybe point to some other treasure?"

Gill looked startled for a moment, he clearly hadn't thought of that. "Perhaps…that…is a way of looking at it." He spoke slowly, hesitant about any of what he was saying. "It has been said that the island holds some great secret. Something of value to the Goddess and to all humanity, but that is only a myth. I don't think we can take those stories too seriously."

However discouraging her teacher sounded, Angie was still earnest in her mindset. Heath wouldn't be leading them all on a wild goose chase, and what this Carter guy said only proved it.

"But…you never know," The blond said in an attempt to be neutral. "Within each story, there is a grain of truth, and really, researchers are finding new things every day. It could be that someday, you or one the others may prove me wrong."

Taking note of the time, Julius thought that this was a good place to end the evening. Clapping his hands and slowly getting to his feet, he let his red eyes sweep over the rest of the table. With a small nod, Candace followed suit. "It's getting late, so it's probably best if we turn in for the evening. It was a pleasure seeing you Luna, Gill," Julius trounced over to Shelley, placing a light kiss on her cheek. "Milady Shelley."

"We'll see each other later in the week?" The blue-haired woman asked the other two hopefully.

"Of course," Gill answered, rising alongside Luna.

With a quick set of warm hugs, cheek kisses and soft farewells, the group parted ways, with Angie and her family being the first to set out.

Skipping on ahead of her parents, eyes skyward and spirits high, Angie tried to commit all that she had learned to memory.

She had found out more than she had bargained for, having come here to ask a few questions at the gang's request. She'd come out with a lot more than any of them were probably expecting, but this new information made her confident about the importance of their mission.


	4. Old MacDonald had a farm

"I spy with my little eye something that is-"

"BUNNY!"

"Where!? Where!?"

"Guys come onnnn, you're 'mbarrassing me."

"Over there Daki! He's hopping away!"

"Then we gots to go after it! Come on Angie, we've got a bunny to catch!"

"O-okay."

"You don't need to chase it, its hole is right there."

"Oh yes, you're right, Daki, come back!"

"BABITTY RABITTY!"

"Kids," giggled a familiar voice, only slightly carried away by the wind.

A head of pink popped into view, hair like cotton candy as it was framed in the high spring sun. With eyes closed, a smile stretched her lips wide.

"Luna!"

"Wahoo! Now the fun can _really_ start."

"Hey Loony, wanna help us get another stash?" Sasilvia smirked, red hair swishing as she sat up from their circle. Slowly, the others started to follow suit, lifting themselves sluggishly to sit and look at the woman.

Blue eyes glistening, Luna reached a hand over to ruffle the younger girl's hair, earning a scowl and a small smack for her trouble. "Calm your horses spitfire, we can't just jump into it. We'll get there."

Two other sets of feet pattered over from the other side of the hill, and the seamstress smiled as her niece came hurtling toward her, Dakota in hand, and thus, in tow.

"Hey there sweetie," she patted violet hair affectionately, fingers combing through the soft strands. She looked between her and her orange-haired friend. "So, what were you guys doing over there?"

Angie froze for a second, her mind flashing back to the dinner she'd had with Gill. She'd forgotten to tell everyone about what she'd learned, having been too swept up in the upcoming festival. She briefly considered telling the rest but quickly thought better of it; they had better things to do today.

"Daks said she saw an 'abbit," muttered Paolo, eyes hazy and unfocused, diverting the pink-haired woman's attention.

"Daks?" Taylor murmured, rubbing his eyes, his tone scandalized. "Another nickname?"

The mid-spring weather was comfortable, the wind rustling the leaves of the tree above them. Alan's tree stood majestic and strong, branches budding but not yet bloomed. Though the day had been unseasonably warm, the kids had decided to lie around before the start of the festival. If they could laze around, they'd take it.

"Yeah, so we chased it."

"Did you guys find it?"

"It went home," murmured Angie, pressing herself further into Luna's arms. Van knew that she'd been having a good time, they all had despite the idle atmosphere, but she was probably tired. Between Dakota and Paolo, the gang had been running at full throttle since early morning, starting at the secret base and moving outward. He could even see Heath passed out at the corner of his eye; despite being an adventurer, he was probably the one with the least stamina.

Adjusting his goggles, Taylor pulled himself to his feet, sizing himself up so that he could appear to be on Luna's level.

"So, toots," the older woman's eyes grew wide, probably more than a little surprised by the bold term. "What do you want?"

Patting the backs of the girls latched onto her, the pink-haired woman took a step back, turning to face the group's unofficial leader. Her feet were lifted slightly off the ground, as she attempted to make herself seem taller than she was. The taller the better, Van supposed, his eyes taking in the odd moment of seniority that Luna was trying to create. The other kids started to crowd around her, all smiles and energy as the seamstress settled in.

"Toots? That's a little too old for you, _punk_," a dainty finger flicked orange spiked hair. "And _what_ did you put in there? It's as hard as Maya's jello, if not stickier." Most of the kids scrunched their noses at the idea, even Dakota was appalled by the thought of her mother's cooking; nothing was quite as disgusting as Maya's cooking, before they started to laugh.

Taylor only glared at the adult, arms crossed and feet planted shoulder-width apart. Heath and Matt looked between the two uncertainly, their giggles dying down the most quickly. The atmosphere was tense, the group huddled close together, and Van knew that a confrontation was imminent. Dakota and Paolo, who Luna normally affectionately named "the fish and cake gang," looked exciting at the idea of defying authority. As the last bits of laughter faded, a silence emerged that was nearly oppressive.

Luna went forward to push his shoulder jokingly and, just like that, the stand-off was done, the tension was broken. The red-head let his arms fall to his side, and the rest of the group was bouncing around soon after. Standing beside Taylor, Van couldn't help but stare in awe at the seamstress, the older woman playing the crowd so well. One look over to his right showed that the other boy wasn't quite as impressed; actually, he was barely paying attention. Despite how happy everyone else was, a frown stretched his lips, his eyes looking off into the distance. The black haired boy noticed he was looking at the barn, where Van's mother and grandmother were helping set things up for the festival.

"How bout we sneak into the chicken coop! All we'd need is some rope…"

"Or, or, let's ride the cows!"

"…maybe we could cuddle with some of the sheep?"

"CANDDDYY."

The chorus of voices began to overpower one another, quickly becoming louder and louder. The pink-haired woman stood at the center of it all, obviously overwhelmed, trying to pay attention to as many of them as she could.

Until she'd had enough. "Quiet!" Silence followed soon after.

"Guys, if we actually want to _do_ anything, we're going to have to actually _talk_ about this."

Paolo raised his hand before rushing into what he wanted to say. "We got's to try climbing the cliffs, the adults wouldn't be watching, so it's our only chance!"

"Wow, calm down, there won't be any cliff-climbing today," Paolo's pout was immediate. "But that doesn't mean we can't have fun. Let's just…" The pink-haired woman swiped her eyes over the group. "Keep it safe, okay? I'd _never_ hear the end of it if one of you fell off a cliff."

"Oh, helping out the peasants now? How fitting…"

A broad smile spread across Sasilvia's face, the girl quickly running up to her mother. Selena wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders, though she gave the rest of her attention to Luna.

"You would love that, wouldn't you," Luna snipped, body tensing. The scene reminded Van of two territorial cats, fur bristled and hissing until the other bowed in submission. "And really, _peasants?_ Your daughter's a part of the group for crying out loud."

The red-haired dancer just clicked her tongue, shrugging her shoulders. "Peasants are peasants, no matter how you slice it. Kids, boring people, old people, shop owners, seamstresses – all peasants."

Splotches of red covered Luna's face, her shoulders set back and stiff. With Sasilvia tucked into her side, Selena smirked, her body relaxed despite the situation. Van looked between the two, waiting for the blow-up that had been avoided with Taylor. The two were usually at odds, the rivalry having started long before they were born, so he doubted that a fight could be avoided. The black-haired boy noticed Angie looking uncomfortable, feet hopping as she held onto her aunt's sleeve. Everyone else had given themselves to the hushed atmosphere.

"You're ridiculous! Who actually _calls_ people peasants-"

"People who know their own worth, of course," Selena tossed her ponytail over her shoulder, just as a cool wind began to pick up and blow everyone's hair about.

"That – that doesn't even -" Luna spluttered, hands fisted as she took a step toward the other woman. "_You_ don't make sense!

"Hm, but I know _so_ many things that do make sense," the dancer's smugness was practically tangible. "Things that I'm sure you'd be _dying _to know."

Taylor and Van exchanged a look. That comment was interesting.

"Ugh, you know what," Luna took a step forward, putting herself into Selena's personal space. "I'm _sick_ of this – this little back-and-forth. I don't care what you apparently 'know.'"

The red-head's grin was salacious, and too knowing. "Too bad, it's rather scandalous."

"You know what, _exotic dancer_? You can take that information and shove it up you-" Baby blue eyes drifted, meeting the multicolored gaze of the children surrounding her. She gulped. "Erm…down…" She grumbled in frustration. Her continuation was rather shrill. "_You can just forget it! I'm not interested!"_

The other woman didn't respond, except for a suddenly bored expression.

"Sasi's mom's kind of interesting, huh?" Taylor whispered, inclining his head toward Van's. The black-haired boy strained to reach his uncle and keep it discrete, the boy being at least a foot taller. "See the way she pushes people's buttons? Classic move."

Van's eyebrow scrunched. "A classic move for what?"

"A troll."

Van knew many things, but he didn't know how a giant, green, fairytale monster had anything to do with his friend's mother.

Taylor patted his nephew's shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll get it at some point. Just remember to take them with a grain of salt, okay?"

Obviously deciding to just ignore the other adult, Luna directed herself to the rest of her audience. "Kay guys, I'm going to go help set up stuff, so stay out of trouble until I get back. And whatever you do, don't let yourselves be manipulated by some meddlesome red-head."

With another quick squeeze for Angie, the seamstress strode off, moving down the hill as quickly as possible. They all knew they'd be seeing her later, once said 'meddlesome red-head' was out of sight. Now bored, as suggested by her facial features, Selena also decided to make her exit.

"Well 'kiddies' guess I'll leave you to your mudpies or whatever. Try not to destroy anything," She waved them off while leaning down to place a light kiss on her daughter's head, brushing her ponytail to the side. "Don't forget to stop by your father's table Sas, he'll want the support from his sweet pea. Indulge him, okay?"

Sasilvia nodded, red faced at the nickname, while trying to ignore the giggling fit that had resulted from her mother's words.

So she strutted off, hips swaying, leaving the kids to themselves and the spring air.

"What was that about? They hate each other or somethin'?" asked Paolo. All he got was a smack over the head from Sasilvia and resounding laughter as a response.

The sun was at its highest point when parents started dragging everyone away. Van quickly found himself alone on the hill, watching as the spectacle that was a Waffle Town festival came to life. Even his uncle had been called off, albeit with a harsh grimace, so the boy was well and truly alone.

He wasted no time dallying on the hill, instead veering onto the ranch's race track and beginning to follow it away from the main festivities. His small hands grasped futilely at the space around them, as if expecting to be holding onto some trinket or small book. Van's attention drifted over the green expanse, never landing for longer than a moment on any particular distraction. Multicolored herbs drew him in, making him lean down to better inspect them, before making him become lost in his own mind.

He noticed a loan baby boar roaming off in the distance, unwittingly smiling as it snuffled amongst the mushrooms that surrounded the base of a tree. It would probably make a cute pet, but then again, so would many other animals on the island.

The image of other animals came unbidden, making him miss the petting zoo that would sometimes come to the island around this time of year. Llamas, alpacas, piglets, and goats had been readily available back then, amongst the regular barnyard animals. The doctor's son missed running his hands through their coats and wrapping his arms around them.

Maybe he could visit the ranch's animals. It wasn't exactly the same, but at least he'd be able to stroke the sheep and hold the baby chicks.

So, Van marched off toward the barn in search of some furry company.

Within seconds of entering though, the black haired boy had to stamp down the urge to run, nervousness ramming into him like a freight train.

The air was heavy with the scent of musk, hay and barnyard animal, forcing the young boy to take shallow breaths. He had seen his grandmother and uncle above the low dividing wall of the front room, and had made his way toward them. Their voices, heated and tempered in the midst of an argument, brought his feet to a grinding halt, making him duck down behind the wall instead. Cautiously, he looked around the wall's edge, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"_Don't turn this around on me, Taylor. You know the situation your father and I are in._"

Taylor's chin jutted out defiantly, his gaze never wavering from his mother's. Even in the dim light of the barn, the doctor's son could see that the other boy's cheek was red and swollen, yet nothing on Taylor's face betrayed any pain.

"I'm going."

"_You're not,_" Ruth was nearly screeching, her voice hoarse. "And that's that. I won't have any more of your whining."

"Ma-"

"Enough, Taylor! Get your things and let's head home, I don't need this today."

"No! I'm staying here. I won't let you tell me what to do anymore!"

"_You don't have a say in this."_

"Yes. I. Do," It was the first time he'd yelled, and the sound made the hiding boy flinch. "I make money for the family too. I do as much as you and Pa, so I can stay if I want to."

Van's grandmother's normally sad expression was gone and now it almost looked as if she was trying to restrain herself. An attempt at grabbing Taylor's arm only saw her being shaken off, so she took a step back to place a bit of distance between them.

"I'm staying and I'm hanging out with everyone. You and Pa can do what you want."

"Well, you're still not goin', your pa and I will make sure of it," not giving him time to respond, Ruth stormed out of the drive bay, making Van scurry for cover to avoid her. He dove behind the pile of fodder nearest him, practically knocking half of it to the floor in front of the tack room. He never understood why Hannah and Cain didn't use their silo. Fortunately, the peeved woman never even gave the crumbling pile a spare glance, storming out the doors and slamming them as she went.

Taylor popped his head over the dividing wall a second later.

"I know you're there. No point hiding anymore."

Van hesitated a second before walking out from behind the stacks of feed. The group leader walked over to meet him, acknowledging his presence but still remaining mostly listless, his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slumped.

"Tay-" The doctor's son started. He'd never felt more like the intruding nephew than he did then, standing in the blocked area before the animal stalls.

"It isn't important," Goggles glinted as they were fidgeted with, and Taylor began keenly observing the various reigns and leads that could be seen in the tack room behind Van. "Don't – don't tell your mom, okay?"

Van didn't need to answers, opting for turning to look at the room behind him instead. Taylor hummed in approval as a comfortable silence displaced the previous awkward tension.

"I wish we could actually play with the animals."

"Yeah…" The freed coop chickens ran around them, occasionally diverting their attention as they stumbled over and chirped at their feet. "It'd be nice to ride one of the sheep."

"I think the ostriches would be better."

The two shared a look, and quickly, a plan for this festival's mischief was born.

There were rich smells everywhere. Banners, streamers and balloons overloaded the senses, creating a sea of color that swallowed the surrounding hillside.

The festival was in full swing, and everyone in town was gathered around the center of Brownie ranch. Nearly everyone was milling around the stalls, buying trinkets, jewelry, or rarely made treats. The majority of the townsfolk seemed to be talking amongst themselves, chatting and laughing as if the day weren't just another on the island. The farmers were milling around as well, though they seemed too nervous to stay away from their animals for too long. Even Sasilvia's father seemed fidgety, though he was seated by his stall.

Everyone was spread out, picking at fair snacks or being pulled around by their parents.

Van could barely hear the yelling from a little ways down the hill, the deeper tones periodically being broken by the higher pitched yells of Phoebe and Kathy. It seems the annual frog-jumping contest was also underway, and just as controversial as always. He'd probably be able to find Taylor there later, being the youngest, and surprisingly most-knowledgeable, bettor.

Angie and Van were pushed together in front of Julius' booth, Anissa standing behind and leaning above them. The various jewels sparkled in the midday light, spreading out into miniature rainbows across the velvet of the table cloth. His mother cooed at the beauties, as Angie smiled up at her father, who was showing her some design or other. All Van could focus on was the slight brush of the girl's fingers against his; blood fervently rushing to his cheeks.

"Yo, Mini doc," the red-head was leaning against the side of the table, smirking at the scene in front of her. "'You finding this as interesting as I am?" She drawled sarcastically, quickly sparing a glance to the two adults, making sure they hadn't heard. "Mom and Dad are going on and on with Mr. Cain and Mrs. Hanna, so I needed to get out of there. Do you guys want to do something?"

By tugging on Angie's hand, the purple-headed girl finally started paying attention to the two talking just aside her. A quick motioning to Sasilvia got them her full attention, the younger girl's eyes drawn to the hyacinth tangled in her friend's hands.

"So, where should we go?" She spoke shyly, peering between the two others. Van's hand gripped hers a little more tightly, his mother having finally withdrawn, leaving them exposed.

"As long as we stay far, far away from flowers, I'm good," the red-head tossed her own fragile flower over her shoulder, the delicate thing being trampled moments later, lost in the throng. The girl's father had one of the largest flower crop for quite a ways, meaning his daughter was constantly surrounded by the things. Not wanting to waste a moment, and likely trying to escape the stall behind her, she moved toward the dusty thoroughfare. With a quick wave to Julius, the other two followed suit, though they couldn't dart around people with the same ease as the dancer's daughter could.

They'd all done their duty for the day, so the rest of the parents would probably be letting the kids out soon. The three passed several of the animals that would be competing a little while later, with some of the larger cows catching Sasilvia's attention. Unfortunately, they were all being led into the barn, so as quickly as they saw them, the animals disappeared from view. The two trotted on behind her, hands clasped, starring in different directions as they tried to find some of the others.

The hill was swarming with people, so everywhere they looked only adult legs and animals blocked their way. The hum of people talking and the buzzing of spring bees covered them in a blanket of white noise. It didn't seem like they'd have any luck finding the rest.

Finally, they stopped by the base of the old windmill, Salsilvia opting to lean against its wooden walls as Van stepped toward the shut door, leaving Angie on the lip of the rise.

"Do you think everyone else will be free soon?" The hot, spring air soaked up sound, making the petit girl's voice muffled, despite the short distance.

"Pft, they'd better, we can't just sit around _forever_," the red-haired girl said, getting comfortable. Meanwhile, the doctor's son played with the door handle, wondering what the small door might hide. "But at least I got you guys. Actually, so long as it isn't me and Dakki alone, I'm good."

Her and Van shared a look, clearly feeling the same thing. Angie continued to teeter on the edge, her shoes poking over the side of the mound.

"Hmm, another boat…do you think if we asked this time, we'd be able to get on?"

"Dunno, maybe, but Van's mum would have a fit. Wouldn't _that_ be fun."

The black-haired boy thought that was a bit of an understatement, but he kept his words to himself.

"'Sides, even if they're not 'free' soon, they'll make themselves free. We all said we'd be here."

Sasilvia flipped small coins, her fingers barely touching the metal as they landed before launching them into the air again. The faux-copper caught the light, shimmering brilliantly as they moved through the thick air of later day. Black, methodical eyes tried to look for a crack that their owner could exploit. All the while, the purple haired girl continued to stare off into the distance, the blue of the ocean glittering in her eyes.

It was just another lazy spring day in Waffle town; a typical get together where people came to sell their goods. Or at least, that's what they wanted people to think.

The chaos started at three, exactly two hours before judging.

Everyone had eventually trickled in, bringing various trinkets and foodstuffs with them. After a few minutes spent fawning over Matt's new slingshot, Dakota's metal whistle and Heath's bug net, the group set out.

They needed to grab Luna while no one was watching, while no one suspected anything.

With a bit of stealth and a well timed distraction – 2:30 was when Hannah brought out the pie, and no one, _no one_, could resist pie – Heath managed to grab her and bring the seamstress to their hide-out behind the barn.

Taylor had seated himself on an empty milk pail, and the others huddled around him. To Van, the whole situation felt like it was out of a mystery novel, except with them as the evil gang and not the good guys. Their leader had his legs set firmly apart and, in what was extremely rare for the shipper, was sitting up straight. Luna stood before them, gobsmacked, her sandaled feet covered by the loose dirt in the area, as she took in the scene before her. To the black-haired boy, her face screamed '_damn crazy kids,_' but then again, it was hard to tell with her expression that exaggerated.

When she'd taken stock of the situation, a mischievous sparkle appeared in her eye and she put a hand on her right hip, putting more weight on that side.

"Huh, so you guys finally decided what you want to do?"

"We want something a little bigger than candy," Taylor responded, the light shining off his goggles. "Still want to help?"

Though Paolo and Dakota had crossed their arms, flanking Taylor's sides in an attempt to look cool, the group was far from giving off some unanimous vibe. What they'd planned was bigger than anything they'd ever done before. Worse than any bad thing they'd done before.

Luna barely batted an eye.

"So, what's the plan?"

Within twenty minutes they put everything together and split off into groups. With any luck, and Luna's genius, they would be able to pull this off.

The chaos started at exactly three o'clock. Not a minute before, and not a minute after.

It looked like Hamilton was going to cry.

Flowers were scattered everywhere, the frogs were on the loose and Ozzie's stall had been completely destroyed. The barn doors had remained open, the occasional breeze crashing them against the sides of the barn and making the mayor jump in surprise. The adults were running amok, desperately trying to catch and save anything they could, while they still could.

As the sun began to set, and as the orange glow of dusk overtook everything in the open pasture that was Brownie Farm, the kids were starting to have the time of their lives.

Luna had started them off, 'accidentally' tipping over Craig's tank of frogs and starting the screaming and scrambling that would last for the rest of the day. The farmer had cursed, ordering his wife and daughter to help him collect the things, while several villagers attempted to help out. The kids took the opportunity to, amidst feminine shrieks and several masculine squeaks, open the barn doors and let several of the kids sneak inside.

All it took was some fiddling with the padlocks and the stalls opened before them, inviting them in. Horses brayed and the ostriches twittered, as the chickens ran away from the tiny forms that lorded over them. Using rope, reigns and whatever else they could find, the 'search and rescue' team got to work.

Matt and Dakota stood by the door, jittering like birds as they constantly shifted their attention.

As Hamilton tried to call things to order, Yolanda started slinging curses and insults at the adults who bumped into her booth, upsetting the various baked goods on its surface. The additional noise drowned out the mayor's pleas, making his face redden more and more as he tried to raise his voice. From the roof, Taylor and Angie watched all the events unfolding below, pressing themselves into the shingles and peering over the roof's edges; waiting for the moment when the orange-haired boy could give the sign that would usher in the main event.

Just as Luna 'accidentally' tripped Selena into the bucket of fish by Ozzie's stall, the moment they'd been waiting for had arrived. Despite the mass confusion, Hannah and Cain trotted up the path like clockwork, their horse, Maribel, and collie, Paulie, behind them, ready to show off their entry. They entered the festival's marketplace soon after, mouths hanging open in shock as they saw the state of their farm, their pause providing the perfect opening. The group leader took out Matt's new slingshot, took aim, and fired at the rump of the brown horse who stood inches away from several stalls.

The effect was immediate. Rearing up and braying loudly, Cain lost control of Maribel as she bolted forward, knocking into Dale's furniture as well as Sasilvia's father's flower shop. The horse rushed past Selena, taking the dancer completely off-guard as it rammed right into Ozzie's stall and sent the barrel of fish _into _her, pining her to the group and covering her in fish. Wet, and slick with fish oil, the red-head looked ridiculous. Luna could barely control her laughter, and sent a watery smile and thumbs up to the two on the roof for their good work.

Taylor nodded quickly in reply, with Angie giving her own thumbs up, before turning to his assistant. With a nod that seemed to carry the weight of the world, he gave the signal.

A piercing whistle was quickly followed by all the barnyard animals bursting through the open door, making a jumble of sounds as they ran into the open air.

The rest of the time felt like a blur, as the adults tried to deal with all the crises at once. Cain and Chase decided to run after Maribel, whilst Jin helped Selena, and Ozzie cried over the destruction of his booth. Several stall owners tried to hide their goods, with varied levels of success, as cows, sheep, ostriches and chickens became attracted to the open displays. Ruth and Craig's breadfruit lay in pieces all over the place, sunflowers and hyacinths lying trampled between the stalls and in the mouths of the livestock.

In the meantime, the kids had snuck away with their own share, Matt and Dakota having pocketed enough of Simon's imported sour watermelon candy to tide them all over. Van and Heath sat atop two ostriches, while Paolo, Dakota and Matt crammed themselves onto the back of the ranch's older horse, desperately trying to hold on. Sasilvia sat on the only cow the group had managed to whisk away, as Angie and Taylor rounded off their catch on black and white sheep.

It had been a fun day so far, but now they'd ride.

Better yet, they'd run and play without getting into trouble for it. As far as the rest of the village knew, they were just some kids who took advantage of animals who were on the loose, not evil masterminds.

This was even better than the pineapple incident.


End file.
